Skabelund weathers wind, injury to win gold

CARSON CITY — Growing up in New Mexico, Whitney Skabelund was used to jumping in extreme conditions.

So, when the wind blew from the Sierra into the Carson Valley on Friday, Skabelund was in her comfort zone, unfazed by Mother Nature’s attempt to distract the junior jumper from making the biggest leap of her life.

“I lived in New Mexico and that’s in tornado alley so the wind kind of made me feel at home,” she said. “It excited me. The last two years I got second in triple jump and it’s been my goal since I was in the fifth grade to place first. I’ve been motivated all season ever since I recovered from my injury.”

Skabelund, who missed about a month due to injury this season, recorded her career best in the triple jump on the biggest stage of her track and field career. She leaped 37 feet, 6.25 inches to win the triple jump by almost 2 feet in the Division I-A state championship meet at Carson High School. Skabelund followed with a jump of 16-11.75 to win the long jump on Saturday, giving her Fallon’s only gold medals for the weekend. Skabelund was the only jumper to win both the long and triple, regardless of division, and is Fallon’s first girl to win both since Rachel Sorensen in the 1990s.

“She came in determined to win the state title,” Fallon girls and jumps coach Paul Orong said. “I’m really excited that she jumped as well as she did. She deserved it and I’m proud.”

Skabelund, though, was getting worried in the long jump as she kept missing the board until her final leap, although she led most of the way. Having a small group of gathers surrounded at the pit helped put those worries to rest.

“I didn’t hit the board once today and it was really stressing me out,” Skabelund said. “I think because it was just morning and the foot that I injured wasn’t stretched out real good. I guess it worked in the end. I was hopeful. I like having people in front of me. It helps me jump farther. It pushes me especially when the girl ahead of me was beating me at the end.”

Adjustments to not only the weather but finding that right step on Saturday proved to be more challenging than anticipated. Nevertheless, Skabelund prevailed and proved that the injury setback last month would not prevent her from reaching her goal of becoming the only state champion in any spring Greenwave sport.

“I’m so thankful to all the doctors and coaches that stuck by me and especially my parents. They pushed me to do such great things,” she said. “I thought my season was over. The doctors pretty much told me you wouldn’t be competing in regionals. The fact that I made it all the way to state and do so good makes me proud and so thankful.”

After winning the triple jump, Skabelund had an opportunity to place in the pole vault but then the snow started coming down. Instead of trying to best her personal record of 9 feet, she opted to save her strength for Saturday’s long jump event. Pole vault, though, helped Skabelund with her jumping events.

“It’s really, really fun so I stuck with it,” she said. “I think it helped with both of them for the approaches. I started counting my steps. It gives you more confidence to not look at the board. It helps you get on better and for long jump it helps with your plant foot a lot. I think that’s why I improved in long jump is because of pole vault.”